taenia

or te·ni·a

[ tee-nee-uh ]

noun

, plural tae·ni·ae [tee, -nee-ee].

1. Classical Antiquity. a headband or fillet.
2. Architecture. (on a Doric entablature) a fillet or band separating the frieze from the architrave.
3. Anatomy. a ribbonlike structure, as certain bands of white nerve fibers in the brain.
4. any tapeworm of the genus Taenia, parasitic in humans and other mammals.

taenia

/ ˈtiːnɪə /

noun

1. (in ancient Greece) a narrow fillet or headband for the hair
2. architect the fillet between the architrave and frieze of a Doric entablature
3. anatomy any bandlike structure or part
4. any tapeworm of the genus Taenia, such as T. soleum, a parasite of man that uses the pig as its intermediate host

Word History and Origins

Origin of taenia¹

First recorded in 1555–65; from Latin, from Greek tainía “band, ribbon”; taenia defs 4 is from New Latin, Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of taenia¹

C16: via Latin from Greek tainia narrow strip; related to Greek teinein to stretch

Example Sentences

Each peduncle joins, along with the taenia semicircularis, the anterior pillar of the fornix of its own side.

From Project Gutenberg

A male head in high relief, wearing a taenia, is slightly bent forwards to the right.

From Project Gutenberg

He wears a taenia, and there are traces of drapery which passed over the shoulder.

From Project Gutenberg

A portrait figure of an old man, whose head is bound with a taenia, reclines on a couch with a two-handled cup in his left hand.

From Project Gutenberg

Not only ascarides, but also tape and thread worms (Taenia and Filaria), are to be constantly contended with.

From Project Gutenberg